Is it true that a rich person could by his or her child admissions to an Ivy League/other schools? Assuming that the person invests millions of dollars
They are called developmental admits. The student can’t be a complete idiot though. We are talking minimum gifts of $50,000,000.
@TomSrOfBoston with a gift of that amount or higher, how much more likely would the student gain admission?
@TomSrOfBoston will these colleges admissions’ officers even admit that there is such thing as developmental admits?
Maybe less so nowadays compared to those admitted in the '70s and before…but some did slip through as recounted by some HS classmates who attended Ivy/peer elites with a few such students, a Prof who taught 20 years before the end of the '90s who had the dubious experience of teaching some, and my own observations of an older college classmate who was admitted to one Ivy on a developmental legacy basis(grandparent was a notable alum who also donated millions) and found his assumption that turning it down for our LAC(Oberlin) would mean he’d have an easier time academically (Not!).
Regarding the last with whom I had several classes together and got to see his work workshopped along with tutoring him…what I’ve seen made me wonder how in the world did he manage to graduate HS…especially a respectable/elite boarding school which charges tuition which rivaled those of Ivy/peer elite colleges assuming one was full-pay.
If it is true, that millions can get you in, is that any different than an elite athlete getting in so the college makes millions in TV and box office revenue?
@Materof2 what point are trying to make?
@cobrat if you chose to donate, do you have to be an alumni of that particular school?
@impoppin One point is that whether its Daddy paying the millions to get his son in, or if its the University admitting a student based on his ability to throw touchdown passes and bring in TV revenue and a Bowl invitation, that money talks.
And Universities need money.
If you gave millions over the course of many years, that’s a donation. If you write a check when your child is applying, that’s a bribe. I don’t think colleges can accept money directly in exchange for an acceptance.
I think it is a bribe if an individual takes the money in return for letting a student into the school. This isn’t the same as the school taking the money.
Regardless, if someone is seriously thinking of donating $50,000,000, then I think that officials at the school would be willing to chat privately about the circumstances.
@matterof2
Nope…Not with the Ivies. AI wards against that and Ivies don’t need $$$ athletics would bring in…most would argue they spend more on athletics than athletics brings in.
Others schools (Pac12 etc) may be different.
Well we personally love developmental kids, why; because of parental donations, it was possible for my 3 kids to attend prep school on full need based scholarship, 2 kids attenred Harvard on full need based scholarships, because of donor’s generosity, kids travelled to Europe or abroad, my third kid is looking to get into a similar college, thanks donors
Because my kids attended prep school and Harvard through their generosity, 2 girls end up getting summer internships and final job offers at most prestigious private equity and hedge funds, do they have to work hard sure, but when Chairman of company know about you from his kids, you get tremendous opportunities, when you prove yourself, you get quick rise in office too.
When I look my career, lack of American education, not proficiency in English, lack of connection kept us down, but prep school is worth every cents, doors were opened which we can not dream off, same is true for college
Most important lesson is that we were not only game in town, many poor: white, Asians, afro Americans and Latinos were in same shoes. They all benefited with the donations help, my kids and their poor friends and I will be forever appreciate the generosity of wealthy donors. I am glad that I am land of opportunity, this would have never been possible in my Asian country.
@nynycasino1234 what was the name of the prep school your kids attended? Did that school guarantee your children’s admission into Harvard? Were you the one who made who made the donation?
@impoppin,
No prep school guarantees admission to Harvard. Not even close. @nynycasino1234’s kids are clearly bright, hard working and talented.
@nynycasino1234, is not saying their family made a large donation. On the contrary, the donations other people (perhaps the families of development admits) made made it possible for his/her kids to receive the FA they needed to attend these schools.
@Sue22 Is correct, my kids received full financial aid for prep school and college; Andover
@impoppin My kid is going to donate lot of money back to prep school when they are financially better of; many kids who attended prep school in past and colleges on financial aid, give back loads of money as a thank you later on in life. It is pretty well known fact.
50 mil is higher than it really needs to be. 20 mil can do it. Sometimes, 10, when there’s plenty of room for more.
But what happens is there’s a timeline. It takes time to define the gift (this needs to be done, ) then work the papers through both sides’ legal approval. During that, a relationship builds between the mega donor and the development rep.
At some point, maybe the donor says, Well, impoppin jr is interested in your school. Savvy wealthy folks don’t wait until spring of junior year. And a duscussion brews.
If Junior isn’t qualified, the rep will need to convey that to Mummy and PopPop.
If Junior is qualified, just maybe he will get in.